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GoodCall, a consumer-focused website focused on providing information to help with decision-making, ranked Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa, the sixth best small city for recent law school graduates. Metropolitan areas with populations above 100,000 were considered and evaluated based on: average lawyer salaries, housing affordability index (percent of income spent on rent), amenities per 1,000 housing units, employment attractiveness (law job density and available jobs).

According to GoodCall, the average lawyer salary in Des Moines-West Des Moines, Iowa, is $109,650, the housing affordability index is 9.09%, amenities per 1,000 housing units is 3.12 and employment attractiveness is 46.00.

GoodCall’s mission is to "give buying power back to the consumer by shifting the flow of today’s information exchange.” For more information about GoodCall click here. To read the complete story click here.

The Iowa Supreme Court Task Force Working Group on Spousal Support Guidelines is actively seeking input from the bench and bar about attitudes towards spousal support guidelines. Earlier this week, ISBA members who practice in Iowa received an email requesting participation in the information gathering process. The email asked members to complete a short online survey regarding spousal support awards and possible spousal support guidelines.

Last January, the Iowa Supreme Court established the Iowa Family Law Case Processing Reform Task Force to 1) identify best practices for accessible, transparent and consistent family law processes, and 2) propose recommendations for new court processes and improvements to current processes relating to family law matters for statewide adoption. Members of the Task Force’s Spousal Support Guidelines Working Group include Co-chair Andrea Charlow, Co-chair Steven Lytle, and members Judge David Danilson, Judge Duane Hoffmeyer, Lori Klockau, Justice Louis Lavorato, Anjela Shutts and Justin Teitle.

By spending less than five minutes answering the 12-question survey, attorneys can positively impact family law case-processing reform in Iowa. Click hereto access the survey. Individuals with questions or comments may contact any member of the Task Force Spousal Support Guidelines Working Group directly.

Judges needed for national, internal competitions at UI College of Law

The University of Iowa College of Law is asking interested attorneys to serve as volunteer judges for a number of national and internal competitions to be hosted in the upcoming school year. Prospective judges are encouraged to indicate their interest on the online volunteerinterest formby September 18. Competition dates are listed on the online volunteer interest form and include evening and weekend opportunities this fall and winter.

This year, in addition to its internal competitions, the University of Iowa College of Law will host the regional rounds of the American Collegiate Moot Court Association’s Upper Midwest Undergraduate Moot Court Tournament, a national advocacy competition.

The University of Iowa College of Law will contact all prospective judges who complete the interest form to confirm specific dates and events. Questions can be directed to Allison Winter at allison-winter@uiowa.edu.

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July/August issue of The Iowa Lawyer Magazine now available online

The July/August edition of the Iowa Lawyer Magazine is now available online. Members who elect to receive the Iowa Lawyer in print should expect their copy of the magazine through the U.S. Postal Service in the next few days. This issue focuses on the 2015 ISBA Economic Survey.

Members interested in viewing the online version of the magazine can do so by clicking here or by navigating to www.iowabar.orgclicking on "Publications,” then "Iowa Lawyer Magazine.” Those who no longer wish to receive the printed version of the magazine can elect to receive it electronically by navigating to their account settings and selecting "yes” for the "Iowa Lawyer Magazine Online” option.

The Iowa Lawyer is free online or in print to ISBA members as part of their annual dues. The magazine informs members on issues, events and developments in the law specific to Iowa that impact their practices and their lives as attorneys. Questions regarding the Iowa Lawyer Magazine can be directed to the ISBA Communications Department at communications@iowabar.orgor 515-697-7898.

Assistant Director for Attorney Discipline successor selected

This morning, Paul H. Wieck, II, Iowa Supreme Court Office of Professional Regulation director, announced that Tara van Brederode will serve as assistant director of attorney discipline, also known as the administrator of the attorney disciplinary board, when the current assistant director, Charles Harrington, retires on December 31, 2015.

Van Brederode currently serves as the Legal Aid Society of Story County’s executive director. Prior to her appointment as the executive director in 2012, she served as a staff attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Story County. Her experience also includes private practice in Story County and service as an adjunct professor at the Drake University Law School. She is a graduate of the University of Miami School of Law.

Charles Harrington served as the administrator of the attorney disciplinary board since 2004. Prior to his appointment as administrator of the attorney disciplinary board, he served as ethics counsel at the attorney disciplinary board, known previously as the board of professional ethics and conduct, and as the committee on professional ethics and conduct of The Iowa State Bar Association. His experience also includes service as an assistant appellate defender and director of the Office of State Appellate Defender, and private practice in Jasper County. He is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Law.

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In Other News ...

Black-white disparities persist in Iowa
We live in what Jessica Welburn calls the "paradox of the post-civil rights era." Welburn, an associate professor of sociology and African-American studies at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, has noticed the hopeful signs: More blacks since the 1960s attend college, have moved into the middle class and can afford their own homes.The Des Moines Register

Iowa auditor’s report adds to improper disbursements by 6th District correctional services
A new report from the State Auditor shows the 6th Judicial District Department of Correctional Services misspent nearly $2 million over 14 years by allowing district employees to work on behalf of a corrections non-profit founded as a sister agency. Tuesday’s report is a long-awaited addendum to a January 2014 report showing $776,000 in improper disbursements from fiscal 2009 through fiscal 2012. The addendum identified an additional $1.19 million in improper disbursements by extending the review period and examining two more district employees who spent time working with the Community Corrections Improvement Association.The Cedar Rapids Gazette

Iowa Supreme Court moves into administrative work
The Iowa Supreme Court is done hearing arguments and issuing opinions on cases for this term, but they are not hanging up their robes and taking the summer off. Court communications officer Steve Davis says the court has split up its duties since going to a term system about three years ago. "Previously they’d hear oral arguments and file opinions all year round, and in the process work on some of the administrative responsibilities that they have for the judicial branch system,” Davis explains. "When they switched to the term system, it’s September first through June 30th that they hear oral arguments and issue opinions. And then July first through August 31st, they work on the administrative side of it.”Radio Iowa

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The Iowa Lawyer Weekly is an electronic newsletter published every Wednesday. Please submit comments, letters to the editor, articles, or photos, to communications@iowabar.org. Contact information should be included with submissions. The ISBA reserves the right to refuse any submission, but will take all submissions into consideration for future publication.